Alzheimer's Early Stages: First Steps for Family, Friends and Caregivers

If someone you love has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, you may not know where to turn. The early stages can be the most difficult time for relatives and friends because they often don't know much about the disease, or how they can be of help. This compassionate and practical book fills the information gap. It is divided into sections on how Alzheimer's begins, how to help a loved one with the disease, and how families and caregivers can help themselves.

This new edition contains updated information on risk factors, treatments and potential means of prevention. A new chapter, "Voices of Experience" contains reflections by family members about what works and what doesn't in handling someone with Alzheimer's.

This edition also includes information about two drugs approved since 1999 and the recent decision by the government to cover the cost of counseling and other health related services through Medicare. Resources are updated.

Straightforward and pragmatic, yet encouraging, this book is invaluable for anyone with a loved one in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.